Hashimotos and Graves Disease. Is It Really Your Thyroid?

If you have Hashimoto’s or Graves disease keep in mind that it’s not really a thyroid problem. Yes, it affects the thyroid, but only as a result of your antibodies attacking your thyroid thinking it’s a foreign invader. You may need thyroid medication or herbs to keep it functioning optimally, however, the REAL problem is your immune system. If you heal that you can minimize or even stop the attack on your thyroid. I know because I have Hashimoto’s and I take a very small dose of medicine. I am able to take a small dose because of my lifestyle and the steps I continually take to heal my immune system. You must get to the root cause of any health issue or it’s just like putting a Band-Aid over it. I also strongly suggest that anyone who is told they have either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism should insist on having their thyroid antibodies checked. Many doctors don’t automatically do it and most thyroid conditions are caused by an autoimmune disease. Regardless of which you have, I suggest starting by cleaning up your diet. Gluten, dairy, sugar, soy and corn have been known to cause inflammation in many people in the body and ignite an autoimmune response. They should be eliminated from the diet at least 6 months to a year. You may be able to reintroduce these foods into your diet at some point – but you also may have to eliminate them for a lifetime. You also need to clean up your digestive health. Ayurveda, as well as other wisdom traditions, believe that disease begins with unhealthy digestion. Even conventional medicine is talking about the importance of a healthy digestive track. A poor diet, not enough exercise, environmental toxins, and too much stress can all cause gut problems. It would help to eat whole organic food whenever possible. If you eat something with a label on it and you can’t pronounce or identify the ingredients then don’t eat it. Don’t eat anything from cans unless they are BPA free. You are better buying frozen. Make sure your water is filtered and buy a good reverse osmosis filtration system for your home. Try doing some yoga or tai chi, or even just walking in nature without any devices or interruptions can help. Those of you that know me know I can’t give enough kudos to the benefits of meditation. Stress plays such an important role in making us sick and it’s absolutely necessary to practice some form of stress reduction. I have had clients tell me the dietary restrictions are such a sacrifice, but don’t worry, once you change your habits in about a month of eating delicious, healthy food you’ll start feeling better and better – and you’ll never go back! My response to clients is always: ‘is it worth feeling lousy and being sick just so you can indulge in bad food?’ You can either choose a healthy lifestyle or a sickly one which could determine a long life or a short one. The choice is yours.